Press Release

Lori Bookstein Fine Art is pleased to announce an exhibition of recent paintings and drawings by Susannah Phillips. This is the artist's third solo show at Lori Bookstein Fine Art.

This latest body of work continues the artist's exploration of variations on singular themes including both interiors and landscapes. Her execution of the same subject matter lends itself to an interest in the complexities of changing light and mood. The subtle variations in the articulation of the forms are further pronounced by the artist's restriction of her palette to a tonal range of grays and blues. By so limiting herself, Phillips is able to illuminate differences in mood and atmosphere from painting to painting.

The artist's latest output also shows a marked increase in landscapes. Often working en plein air to execute drawings of the view at hand, the artist then allows herself to conceive subsequent renditions of the scene through invention. Shifts in the horizon line of the sky and additions or subtractions to mountainous volumes are not uncommon. The result is a kind of dedication to execute a form that never was.

The work continues to evolve formally as well. Previous rectilinear forms and right angles that occupied so many of her previous interiors have been replaced by triangular volumes and angular waves. While certainly applicable to the sinuated peaks of mountain tops and the conical shapes of conifers, her use of the diagonal line extends comfortably into her still lifes and interiors as well. Upturned funnels and convex vases are executed with an equal confidence of turned brushstroke.

Susannah Phillips was born in 1952 in Boston, Massachusetts but was raised in London. She attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London, studying under William Coldstream and Euan Uglow. In 1993 Phillips moved to Montreal, Canada, and since 2009, the artist has split her time between Montreal and New York. Her paintings have been in group exhibitions in London, New York and Provincetown, MA, and are included in numerous private collections.

Susannah Phillips: Paintings and Drawings will be on view from November 15, 2012 through January 5, 2012. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, November 15th from 6-8 pm. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. The gallery will be closed from December 23, 2012 through January 2, 2013. For additional information and/or visual materials, please contact the gallery at (212) 750-0949 or by email at info@loribooksteinfineart.com.